Piano action protector



July 2 1945 A. ALBA-DE c. RoUsE 2,403,196

PIANO ACTION PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 272 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I nvehtor `By l M5181:

July 2, 1946- A. ALA-DE c. RoUsE 2,403,195

PIANO ACTION PROTECTOR Filed NOV. 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gg I r11/enter www Patented July 2, 1946 yUNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to piano action protectors or covers f the type shown in the U. S. patent to W. H. Morgan et al., 1,527,002, dated February 17, 1925.

Piano action protectors of the above kind have heretofore been tailormade, or out accurately as to size and shape to it the particular piano for which it was made. Naturally, this has required the use of special skill and workmanship in the provision of a protector for each individual piano. In other words, the protectors have heretofore been necessarily made to order.

The primary object of the present invention,

therefore, is to provide a piane action protector I of the above kind which may be readily shaped and adjusted to fit pianos of many diiiercnt sizes, thereby enabling lthe owners o-f pianos to purchase a stock protector and fit and install the same with respect to the particular piano in his or her possession. f

A specific object of the invention is to provide an adjustable piano action protector of the above kind which is extremely simple in construction, easy to shape and adjust for installation, and otherwise well adapted to meet with the requirements for a successful commercial use.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the body portion of a piano of the grand or horizontal type iitted with a protector constructed and secured in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vsection taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

.Figure 4 is a plan View of the frame of the protector shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of one form of adjustable connection between the sections of the frame shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 5, illustrating a modification of th'e invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the present protector consists of a decorative sheet l0 of suitable fabric of a size and contour corresponding generally with the interior of the frame or casing Il of the instrument, but slightly oversize so that when secured in place and subjected to tension to support the intermediate portion thereof out of contact with the strings of the instrument, the peripheral edge portion may fold downwardly and inwardlyabout a frame l2 forming part of the protector. This frame l2 includes a front portion composed of two angular sections I3 and i3d having arms adjustably connected at ifi so that the same may be set to correspond to the width of the piano at the front of the piane action. Th'e other arms of the sections 13 and i3d project rearwardly and are adjustably connected at Illa and Mb with the ends or" a freely iiexible frame section l5 adapted to be readily shaped to correspond to the shape of the frame i! of the piano at the rear portion thereof. As is 'well known, the rear portion of the piano frame Il is substantially continuously curved, and the shape varies slightly in connection with diiferent makes and sizes of pianos. The section l5, being freely flexible, can be readily shaped to t many different pianos, necessary adjustments by reason of diiference in shapes being taken care of by the adjustments at Ma and [4b. In practice, the major portion of section l5 of the frame i2 is preferably constructed of strip metal that may be readily bent into the desired shape, but the sections IS and i3d may be comparatively rigid. The outer surfaces of the frame sections i3, Ita and i5 are preferably provided with facing strips i5 of felt or the like for contact with the inner surface of the frame Il of the piano. In practice, the sheet of fabric I0 is provided with a marginal hem I1 having a shirring cord IB therein, :the ends of the cord projecting from the hem at a suitable point so that the same may be drawn and tied, as at I9, in Figure 2, for subjecting the fabric sheet to tension so that the intermediate portion thereof is supported out of contact with the strings of the instrument. The felt facings I5 for the'frame sections permit adjustment of the frame I2 so that the portion of the sheet lz on the outer faces of the felt strips I6 contacts the inner surface of the piano frame without injury to the latter. For providing adjustments at I4, Ida and Mb, an adjustable connection between the frame sections may be provided of the form shown in Figure 5 when the frame is made entirely of strip metal. As shown in this ligure, an end of a frame section is formed with inturned flanges 20 on Ithe longitudinal edges thereof to slidably receive the adjacent end portion of an adjacent frame section. Thus, the adjacent ends of the frame sections are slidably adjustable with respect to each other, the adjustment being secured by means of a clamping bolt 2| passing through a slot in one of the frame sections and having a wing nut 22 threaded thereon. In practice, the frame is ad- Justed to t the piano, after which it is removed and the fabric sheet I0 is placed thereover and placed under tension by means of the sh'irring cord or string I8. Angle brackets 23 are then secured to the inner surface of the piano frame II at the required distance below the upper edge of the latter and on the inside of the same. The frame with the fabric sheet secured thereon is th'en placed within the piano frame so as to rest upon the brackets 23. The brackets 23 are located at suitable intervals so as to provide a stable support for the protector proper composed of the sheet I0 and frame I2, whereby the protector is supported at the required elevation above the strings of the instrument.

Grand pianos usually have a hinged prop or support 24 which is raised to support th'e regular lid or cover of the piano in a raised position. In order to clear the end of this prop or support where it is hinged to the piano frame II, the frame section I5 is inwardly offset, as at 25.

While the frame I2 may be constructed entirely of strip metal, as shown in Figures 1 to 5,

inclusive, it will be apparent that the frame sections I3 and I3a may be made of wood or other relatively thick material, only the section I5 being made of readily flexible strip metal. When the sections I3 and I3a are made of wood or relatively thick stiff material, the adjustable connections at I4, I4a and I4b may be provided in the form shown in Figure 6. As shown in the latter figure, a frame section I3' is tted at one end in a sleeve 26 and secured therein by screws 21. The adjacent end of the frame section |32 slidably fits in the other end of the sleeve 26 and has a bolt 28 passed therethrough. This end of sleeve 26 has a longitudinal slot 29 through which the bolt 28 extends, a wing nut 30 being threaded on the bolt 28. Thus, the frame section I32 may be adjusted toward or from the frame section I3 by loosening the nut 30, and when the desired adjustment has been obtained, it may be secured by tightening .the Wing nut 30. The slot 29 is made sufficiently long to take care of adjustments ordinarily required. This serves to provide for the adjustment at the point I4 of Figure 4, and it is apparent that elements similar to that at I32 in Figure 6 may be attached to the ends of the frame section I5 for providing the same form of adjustment at the points I4a and I4b.

In both embodiments of the invention, the frame is adjustable as to width at the front thereof, and the size of the frame may be varied from front to back by the side adjustments at I4a and I4b. At the same time, the latter adjustments take care of any variation in form and shape of the freely flexible section I5. Thus, a stock frame may be provided that will permit installation of the protector in many different shapes and sizes of pianos without the exercise of special care or skill. In this way, it is not necessary to provide a tailormade protector for each individual piano, and a highly efllcient protector is nevertheless had or made available to the general public.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as well as the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes may be made in details of construction illustrated and described, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. In the embodiment of Figure 6, the frame sections I3' and I32 are provided with facing strips I 6 of felt or the like to correspond with' the facing strips I6 of the form shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

What I claim is:

l. A protector for the interior mechanism of pianos consisting of a frame, and a flexible fabric sheet having its marginal portions passed about the frame and provided along the edge thereof with a shirring cord to place the same under .tension so that its intermediate portion is supported out of contact with the strings of the piano.

2. A protector for `the interior mechanism of pianos consisting of a frame, and a flexible fabric sheet having its marginal portion passed about the frame and provided along the edge thereof with a shirring cord to place the same under tension so that its intermediate portion is supported out of contact with' the strings of the piano, said frame comprising forward sections adjustably connected to permit adjustment of the forward portion of the frame to correspond to the width of the piano frame at the front of the latter, and a rear frame section adjustably connected at its ends to the forward frame sections, said rear frame section being freely flexible to permit shaping of the same to the curvature and dimensions of the rear portion of the piano frame. ,V

3. A protector of the construction defined in claim 2', in combination with angle brackets secured to the inner face of the piano frame below the upper edge of the latter and on which the frame of the protector rests, said frame of the protector having yielding facing strips on the outer surfaces thereof for yieldingly maintaining engagement of the marginal portion of the fabric sheet in contact with the inner surface of the piano frame directly above the brackets.

4.\A protector for the interior mechanism of pianos consisting of a forward portion composed of right angular sections adjustably connected for adjusting the forward portion of the frame to correspond with the width of the forward portion of the piano frame, and a freely flexible rear frame portion capable of being shaped to the contour and size of the rear portion of the piano frame, the ends of said freely flexible frame section being adjustably connected to rearwardly projecting ends of the first-named frame sections, and a flexible textile sheet having its marginal portion secured about said frame of the protector.

ANITA ALBA-DE COSTA ROUSE. 

